by GreynJ United - Bangkok

World Stroke Day seemed a good time to launch a campaign in Thailand about strokes and saving lives. That’s the only predictable part of GREYnJ United’s campaign for Khon Kaen University.

Strokes are a leading cause of death among Thais, maybe because 95% know nothing about strokes and stroke symptoms. Education was called for.

Without a media budget, the task was to crash through the clutter of sharing on social media, and share how to spot symptoms, act, and save a life.

Rejecting the usual doctor/authority figure, GREYnJ went for the very opposite, a famous (in Thailand) “influencer”. He was threatening and melodramatic and it was impossible not to watch him, open-mouthed, and absorb the message as he cajoled, bullied, and instructed viewers on dealing with stroke emergencies. And most importantly, he encouraged viewers to share the video to save a life, rather than just sharing their personal lives on social media.

It’s suitably titled “The Worst Viral Clip”. And viral it went. The Worst Viral Clip became national and international news on World Stroke Day. Views hit 1.5 million within 24 hours on the way to 4 million and 500,000 shares.

That means 4 million more Thais now know how to deal with a stroke and perhaps save a victim.